Transsexual Women's Successes:
	
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	Links and Photos 
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  - by Lynn Conway
  - Copyright © 2001-12, 
	Lynn Conway
  - 
	http://www.lynnconway.com
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	Approximately 30,000 to 40,000 postoperative transsexual women live in the 
	United States, and many thousands more are now in the process of gender 
	transition here. These numbers are much larger than commonly assumed by the 
	public because a veil of invisibility hides the true nature and extent of 
	the 
	transsexual
  	condition. Especially hidden are large numbers of highly successful women 
	who have fully transitioned. The reason is that most successful women live 
	in "stealth mode" or are "woodworked". They leave their pasts behind and 
	hide in plain sight in order to avoid social stigmatization and get on with 
	their new lives. Their personal successes insure that they assimilate and 
	blend right into society.
  
  
 
  
	
		
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- The invisibility of these successes 
		supports notions that gender transitions often have rather sad outcomes. 
		At present, the media only spotlights transsexual people on two 
		occasions, namely when "someone well-known changes sex" and when someone 
		is a victim of discrimination, harassment or attack. Media stories about 
		someone's "sex change" are never followed-up to find out what happened 
		years later. Instead stories always focus on pre-transition life and 
		struggles during transition and never on their life afterwards. This 
		lack of balance in exposure shapes society's notion that transition 
		leads to social marginalization or worse, because we "never hear about 
		them again". Only stories of occasional social failures and victims of 
		harassment and attacks remain visible longer term.
  
  
		
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- Lacking successful role models, and 
		confronted with deliberately staged, stereotypically-prurient images of 
		"transsexuals" from media like the Jerry Springer Show, young trans 
		girls are often terrified to tell anyone about their condition. 
		Constantly reminded of the violence and discrimination that trans people 
		face, but unaware that large numbers of successful women get beyond such 
		difficulties, many young transsexual girls can't see any way out of 
		their awful predicament. Social stigmatization of transsexualism leads 
		many young people to internalize a lot of undeserved shame, 
		embarrassment and guilt about their condition. As a result, young 
		transsexual girls often waste precious years before they seek help, and 
		many never find a way to correct their gender condition.
  
  
		
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- Recently the veil of invisibility has 
		been lifting, as many post-operative women all around the world have 
		begun creating websites to help others. Some of these women are quietly 
		"out" within the TS community. Others share their stories by being 
		"virtually out" (VO) only via the web (while otherwise remaining 
		woodworked or in stealth). We are very fortunate to finally be able to 
		learn about their lives, as they become listed on webpages such as this 
		one. Lynn hopes that more and more successful women will quietly come 
		out, and feel comfortable sharing their stories this way via the web.  
		
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- The women listed on these pages are a 
		very diverse group. They are of many different nationalities, races and 
		ethnicities. They come from a wide range of social classes and family 
		backgrounds. They transitioned at many different ages. Some have been 
		postop a long time, others transitioned more recently. Some have been 
		"out" for many years, others are still living stealthily.  
		
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- Many of these women had to suffer 
		terrible trials in order to transition, especially those who did so 
		years ago. Some rose from extremely humble beginnings, including living 
		on the streets, and yet succeeded anyways. Others had easier transitions 
		in more recent times in the more enlightened western countries. A few 
		were even fortunate enough to have had the support of their parents when 
		they were young.  As you'll see, this webpage isn't meant to be an 
		"honor roll" or whatever. Instead it is meant to be place where these 
		many diverse yet representative role models can come forward and become 
		more visible - role models who are mostly accessible via the internet 
		for interactions and help. 
  
		
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- The thing that makes these women 
		"successes" isn't how far they've gone in their careers, or how much 
		money they've made, or how pretty some of them are, or how well known 
		some are as entertainers. Those accomplishments are very meaningful, and 
		show that transitioning doesn't have to hold a woman back from achieving 
		traditional social measures of success. However, the real successes we 
		find here are ones of the heart. They are successes in living "life in 
		the large". We see it in the happy faces, and sense it in between the 
		lines of their stories. These are the successes of women who have 
		survived and corrected their earlier transsexualism, and gone on to find 
		joy and comfort and peace in their lives.
  
  
		
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- Taken together, our stories will 
		gradually help change people's views of the transsexual condition. After 
		all, we are happy and productive contributors in all walks of life: as 
		doctors and lawyers, as scientists, engineers and programmers, as 
		airline pilots, as entrepreneurs, managers and office workers, as 
		university professors and students, in politics, in education, in law 
		enforcement, in the skilled trades, in modeling and in entertainment. 
		The realities and completeness of our physical gender transformations 
		cannot be denied. Many of us are wives, lovers or partners in long-term 
		loving relationships. You can put a compelling human face on the 
		transsexual condition by browsing the websites linked from these pages, 
		which contain information about the experiences of these successful 
		women.
  
  
		
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- Lynn hopes that these women's stories 
		provide hope, encouragement and role models to others, especially to 
		those young transsexual girls-to-be who are facing gender transition. As 
		teenagers they (and their parents and loved ones) need to learn that a 
		complete correction of their gender condition is now possible by 
		applying the knowledge gained by the pathfinders who have gone before, 
		and by exploiting the miracles of modern medicine. They also need to 
		learn of the profound advantages of undergoing gender correction while 
		young, as opposed to living in angst in the wrong gender for decades and 
		then finally transitioning, in desperation, late in life. If parents can 
		just learn to see that their transsexual child is really a "girl with a 
		physical problem" rather than a "boy with a mental problem", then that 
		child's future is especially hopeful. With parental love and support, a 
		young transsexual girl can now reach for her dreams, and go on to live a 
		full and joyous life as a woman.
  
  
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  - [For more information on MtF 
	transsexualism, see Lynn's 
	TG/TS/IS information webpages]
  - [*For more 
	about the prevalence of transsexualism, see Lynn's 
	
	Prevalence subpage]
  - [For information on MtF Surgical Sex 
	Reassignment, see Lynn's 
	SRS webpage]
  - [For more weblinks on MtF gender 
	transition, see
	
	TS Women's-Resources][See also 
	note below: "These pages pass into history"]   
 
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	- Photo Gallery of 
	Successes:
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	Some Ways to Use these Pages:   
	The 
	main purpose of these pages is to provide role models for individuals who 
	are facing gender transition, especially young TS girls who are often 
	desperately fearful of what the future might hold for them. This page is 
	aimed at providing them with hope and with a wide range of diverse role 
	models to help show them the way.
  
  
 
  
	
- Through these pages, young transitioners 
	may also be able to help their parents, relatives, friends and others 
	important in their lives to understand that undergoing a gender correction 
	does not mean living a marginalized life, and that they will be fine 
	afterwards. In spite of the difficulties involved in such transitions, the 
	stories on this page show that many postop women go on to live very full and 
	happy lives.  
		
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- The pages are also aimed at countering 
		public stereotypes of women who have undergone gender corrections. No 
		one who reads these pages and studies the many stories here can help but 
		have a very different image of such women than those traditionally 
		presented by the media or written about by "experts".
  
  
		
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- Readers of these pages are strongly 
		encouraged to proactively use this material to help counter negative 
		media stereotypes. Whenever you read a media report that misrepresents 
		transsexual women, SEND the writer and publisher the URL for this page, 
		and ask them if they've ever seen this website. If they answer "no", 
		then ask them "Why not?" Ask them "Why are you publishing things that so 
		misrepresent TS women, when there is so much counter-evidence to your 
		views?"
  
  
		
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- Readers should also CHALLENGE any and 
		all "experts" and "authority figures" in organized religion, in 
		medicine, in psychiatry, in bureaucracies, in corporate personnel 
		departments, in the legal system and in the political system in the same 
		way. Whenever you hear "experts" say erroneous things about transsexual 
		women, challenge those "experts" by insisting that they learn about and 
		study these pages.  
		
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		- In the past, OTHERS HAVE ALWAYS SPOKEN 
		FOR US. It's always been others: physicians, psychiatrists, religious 
		authority figures, lawyers, "ethicists", politicians, gender counselors, 
		and in recent years gay, lesbian, and feminist activists. All these 
		outsider "experts" have spoken for us, each with their own axe to grind 
		and their own "expert theories" and spins on who we are and why we are. 
		For example, see the following pages in my website concerning the 
		controversy surrounding a book by psychologist 
		J. Michael 
		Bailey's which denigrates and caricatures transsexual women:
			
		Learn about the Bailey book controversy  (more)
 
  
	In every case, such "experts" have known only a 
	tiny, totally non-representative sample of "trans" women, if indeed they 
	have known any at all. Few of these "experts" have ever known a successful 
	postop woman. Yet they always feel free to speak "for us". They tell people 
	how to think about us, and spin endless bizarre theories about us.  
  
	
- How have they gotten away with this 
	misrepresentation? The reason is simple: Our very successes have meant that 
	we've been almost "invisible" in the past. We've also failed by not having 
	the courage to challenge the abusive stereotyping and misrepresentation of 
	who we really are.
  
  
		
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- Well folks, that era is over. We're no 
		longer going to be invisible, and we are increasingly going to "speak 
		for ourselves".
  		
  
		
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- As it turns out, the most effective way 
		we can "speak" is by living very full, productive and happy lives. Our 
		life stories will then speak volumes, and will help publicly shatter the 
		old stereotypes posed by all those "experts". In the end, who we are 
		isn't a matter of "theory" or "opinion" or "who dominates thought by 
		shouting loudest". Instead it is simply an empirical matter of observing 
		our real lives in the real world.
  
  
		
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- You can greatly help in this process by 
		making these "successes" as publicly visible as you possibly can, 
		especially among physicians, psychiatrists, religious leaders, lawyers, 
		politicians, gender counselors, etc., and yes - also among gays, 
		lesbians and feminists. All these outsiders who've been speaking for us 
		need a good lesson in who we really are, and they especially need to 
		know about the now visible, undeniable reality of our successes.
  
  
 
	
	
 
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	- References for Young 
	MtF TS/TG Transitioners
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	- Emily 
	Hobbie's Genderpeace website is also aimed at the young transitioner. 
	Emily's site can help young trans girls find peace, comfort, self-acceptance 
	and then happiness after "surviving transsexualism".
  
  
 
	
		
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		- Also be sure to read the wonderful 
		on-line books 
		From 
		Within by Vicky, and 
		
		Mom, I need to be a girl by Just Evelyn.  Vicky is a young 
		teenager who is now transitioning. In 
		From 
		Within she is conveying what it feels like to grow up as a girl 
		in a boy's body - revealing all the confusions, emotions and experiences 
		along the way from early childhood to, and through, gender transition.
  Mom, 
		I need to be a girl  is an inspiring book of a young TS 
		girl's transition, written by her mother (Just) Evelyn who fully 
		supported her gender transition.
  
  
 
	
		
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	An especially good way for a young TS girl to 
	explain to her parents what she is going through, and also how her gender 
	condition can be corrected, is to have her parents read 
	From Within
  	and 
	Mom, I need to be a girl. These on-line books, combined with Lynn's 
	TG/TS/IS information webpages and this TS 
	Successes Page, can also help young transitioners communicate about 
	their condition with their extended families, their classmates, and their 
	friends.   
  
	
- It is very important for young people who 
	are feeling some degree of gender angst to realize that there are many 
	options available for resolving their condition. Depending upon the 
	intensity of their gender condition they may find really good solutions in 
	P/T crossdressing, or by transitioning hormonally and socially into an 
	androgynous condition while retaining a male identity, or by undergoing a 
	hormonal and social (TG) transition and taking on a female identity without 
	undergoing SRS.  
		
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		- Only in cases of intense transsexualism 
		is a complete TS transition (including SRS) usually required if the girl 
		is to go on to a full and happy life. There are many transgender people 
		who do not have intensely transsexual feelings, and for them SRS can be 
		a big mistake (see 
		Lynn's "SRS Warning" page). Thus it is very important that young 
		transitioners carefully determine the right gender trajectory for their 
		own particular case. Only you will know what's best. Listen to your own 
		heart - it will tell you what to do. And remember, there is no shame in 
		establishing a transgender identity and not having SRS. There are many 
		who have chosen that path and become successful too. If you study the 
		many lists of "T-girls" (CD's, DQ's, and TG transitioners) on the web, 
		you can gain insight into the possibilities for TG transitions.  
 
	
		
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- On the other hand, those who suffer 
		from the intense TS condition almost always know with certainty, even as 
		teenagers, that they need to be girls and that a TS transition is the 
		only solution that will work for them. It is for these girls that this 
		page is especially designed. The women in the page above are a testament 
		to the fact that complete TS transitions can now be very successful for 
		intensely TS girls who are highly motivated, who plan things very 
		carefully, who work hard to transition, and who move on with a strong 
		sense of self-acceptance into their lives as women afterwards.
  
  
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  - *Important Note About FtM 
	Transsexualism:
	Since Lynn is a TS woman, MtF transsexualism is 
	the main focus of her webpages. However, not only are there many boys who 
	really should have been girls, but there are also many children born as 
	girls who really should have been boys. In fact, female to male (FtM) 
	transsexualism is almost as common as MtF transsexualism. In recent years 
	hormonal and surgical treatments have enabled many TS men to transition very 
	successfully, and there is now extensive information about such transitions 
	on the web.For information on FtM transsexualism, see the websites for 
	FtM International Website, American 
	Boyz, and FtM Resources & 
	Links, and follow the many links at those sites.
  
   
 
  
  
	
	
 
  
Summary of links to websites and stories 
of 
women in the galleries of TS successes:
 
	
	Aejaie Sellers,
	
		Aida Banaji (India),
		
	Alejandra (Argentina),
		
			Alexus Sheppard,
		Alina Petrova (Russia), 
		Amy, 
		
	Amanda Simpson 
		(more) 
		Andrea Colliaux 
	(France), 
	Andrea James, 
	
	Anna Taylor (UK),
  		Anna Moore (more),
  		Anne,
  	Anne Vitale, 
	"Ar"lene, 
		Athena 
	(Iran), 
		Aya Kamikawa (Japan), 
		Barbara 
	Nash, 
	Becky Allison (more),
  		
	Binu (Korea) 
		(more), 
	Calpernia Addams, 
		
		Canary Conn, Candi Stratton 
	(Australia),
  	Caroline (Australia), 
	
	Chen Lili (China) 
		(more), 
		Christie Lee Littleton, 
	Christine Beatty, 
	
	Christine Burns (U.K.) 
	(more,
  	more), 
	Christine McGinn, 
	Colette Berends (Netherlands),
  	
	Cindy Thai Tai (Viet Nam),
  	Dana Beyer,
  	Dana Zircher,
  	Danielle, 
	Deborah 
	Davis (Australia) (more),
  	Debra,
  	Deirdre McCloskey
  	(more,
  	more,
  	more),
  	Diane Hutchinson, Donna Rose, 
	DzaDawa (Spain) (more),
  		
	Ellie (Etella) (Belarus) (more),
  	Emily Hobbie,
  	Erica Zander (Sweden),
  	Erin Swenson,
  		Faiza Khalida (Brazil),
  	Femke Olyslager,
  	Frances Bennett, 
	Gabrielle,
  Georgina Beyer (NZ)
	(more,
  	more),
  	Gina Grahame,
  	Gina Kamentsky,
  	Glenda Adams, 
	Gwendolyn Ann Smith,
  	Helen Hill,
  		Jackie McAuliffe 
	(UK), 
		
	Jamie Clayton, 
	
	Jan Morris (UK) (more),
  	Janet Bowman,
  	Jaqueline P. (Germany) , 
	Jennifer Boylan (more,
  	
	more),
  	Jennifer Leitham,
  		
	Jennifer Martin,
  	Jennifer O'Connor (her story), 
	Jennifer Diane Reitz, 
	
		Jenny Scott (Australia) (more),
	Jessica Mills (Australia)
  	(more), 
		
		Jessie Chung (Zhong 
	Jie Xi )(Malaysia), 
	Jin Xing 
	(China), 
	Joan 
	Roughgarden (more),
  	
	Joanne Herman,
  	Jordana,
  	Jowelle de Souza (Trinidad), 
	Julie Ann Johnson,
  	Julie Peters 
	(Australia), 
	Kalki (India), 
	
	Karen J., Karine 
	Espineira (France, Chile), 
	Kate Craig-Wood (UK),
  	Kate Kira 
	(Netherlands)
	
	(more),
  	
	Katherine Cummings (Australia), 
	Kelley Winters, 
  		Kim, Kimberli, 
	
		Kristen 
	Worley (Canada), 
	Kristine Holt, LaurenFoster (South Africa, US),
  	Lauren Manzano,
  	Leandra Vicci
	(more), 
	
	Leang Sothea ('Popi') (Cambodia), 
	Leeanne Mackowski,
  	Lena (from Kiev, Ukraine), 
	Leona Lo (Singapore),
  	Leslie Townsend, 
	
	Liching (Taiwan),
	
	Lili Elbe (Denmark), Lynn (Canada), 
	Lynn Conway
  	(more) 
	(more),
  	Madeleine Williams, 
	Marci Bowers, 
	Margaret Stumpp, 
	Maria, 
	Maria Rohlinger (Germany), 
	Marisa Allen (Belgium), 
	
	Maryam Khatoon Molkara (Iran)(more), 
	
	Melanie Anne Phillips, Mianne Bagger 
	(Australia), Michela 
	Ledwidge (UK), Michelle Dumaresq 
	(Canada), 
		
		Michelle J.,
		
		Monica Green (U.S., Mexico) (more,
		
		more),
	
	Nadia Almada (Portugal, U.K.), 
	Nicole Hamilton (more),
  	Nong Poy (Thailand),
  	
	Nong Tum (Thailand), 
	Nun Udomsak (Thailand),   
	Nungning (Thailand), 
	Paula Coffer, 
		Paula R., 
		
		Phoebe Smith, 
	Rachael Padman (UK) (more) (more),
  	Rachael Wallbank (Australia)
  	(more), 
	Rachel Morgan (Canada), 
		Robertina 
	Manganaro (Italy), 
		Roni 
	(US, Phillipines),  
	
		
		Rosalyne Blumenstein, 
	
		Sahara (Korea) (more),
  	Sally
  	(more),
  		
	Sally Mursi (Egypt),
  		Samantha Adams,
  	Sandra (Canada),
  	
			Sandra Clark (more),
  	Sara Kristine Becker,
  		
	Sarah, Ph.D.,
  	Sarah Fox, 
	Sarah Jane (UK), 
		
		Sine (Korea) (more),
  	Sister Mary Elizabeth, 
			
	Sohini Bagchi (India), 
		
		Susan Stryker (more,
  	more),
  	Stephanie 
	Langhoff, 
  		Terry Noel, 
	Tista (India), Tracie 
	O'Keefe(Australia), Trish 
	McCurdy, Trisha Kuwahara, 
	
	Victoria, 
	
	Veronica (Philippines), 
		Veronique Renard ("Pantau") (Thailand, 
	India, Netherlands), 
		Yasmene Jabar 
	(Jordan), 
		
			Yoona (Korea) (more), 
	Yvette Hirth,
	
	Zhang Lin (China). 
  
	- Also take a look at some of the 
	post-op transsexual women who've been movie stars, entertainers and models. 
	Among these are some of the pioneer transsexual women who opened the pathway 
	that so many others now follow: 
	Aleshia 
	Brevard (more,
  	more), 
	Amanda Lear (France) (more)(more),
  	Antonia San Juan 
	(Spain) (more,
  	more),
  	April Ashley (more) 
	(more), "Bambi" 
	(Marie-Pier Ysser) (France, Algeria), 
	Bibiana Fernandez 
	(Spain), 
	Bulent Ersoy 
	(Turkey), 
	Candis Cayne, 
	Carlotta (Australia), 
	Caroline 'Tula' Cossey (more),
  	Christine Jorgensen 
	(more),
  	Coccinelle 
	(France) (more) (more),
  	Dana 
	International (Israel) (more,
  	more),
  	Gloria Gray (Germany),
  	
	Harisu (South Korea) (more,
  	more),
  	Haruna Ai (Japan),
  		Holly White,
  	Jahna Steele (more,
  	more,
  	more, 
	more),
  	Jenny Hiloudaki 
	(Greece)
  	(more), Julia 
	Sommers (Australia),
	Kelly Van De 
	Veer (Netherlands) (more,
  	more), Kurara Motokai (Japan)
	(more), Lian Lian (China) 
	(more),
  	Marie France (France), , Natsuko Okuda 
	(Japan)
	
	(more),
  	Natta Klomklao (Thailand), 
	Roberta Close (Brazil) 
	(more) (more),
  	Romy Haag (Germany)  
 
	
	
	You cannot help but feel the joy and happiness 
	of all these wonderful, successful women.
	
	 
	
	 
	
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	Reflections on V-Day in L.A, by 
	Calpernia Addams and Andrea James  
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	Link to Performers' 
	Bios and Photos 
	/ Transsexual Road Map   
	The V-Day documentary "Beautiful 
	Daughters" is airing on the
			LOGO Channel 
	(schedule). 
	 
	
	
	Overview /
	
	About The Show /
	
	Cast and Bios /
	
	Videos /
	
	Photos   
	** 
	
	"Beautiful 
	Daughters" can now be viewed for free on LOGOonline! **
	 
	 
	It is also available
	
	for downloading from Apple iTunes   
- 
	
		
			| 
				   
				
				
				
				 Deep Stealth 
			Productions presented the 
			V-Day 2004 Worldwide Campaign
      		event for Los Angeles on Saturday, February 21st. In cooperation 
			with the author, internationally-known playwright Eve Ensler, and 
			under the auspices of Jane Fonda, this benefit performance featured 
			the first ever transgender cast of "The Vagina Monologues," and 
			included a new monologue written by Eve especially for this event. 
			This large-scale, mainstream event was a 
			historic opportunity for the trans community to present ourselves in 
			a positive, contributing light.  
			The performance showcased notable trans women reading Eve's 
			beautiful monologues about the experiences of womanhood and the 
			reclaiming of self through loving and respecting our bodies. The 
			event also featured artistic, literary and musical contributions 
			from trans women from around the country. Among the many women 
			participating were: Calpernia 
			Addams,
      		Becky Allison, Marci 
			Bowers, 
			Lynn Conway, 
			Andrea James,
      		Donna Rose, 
			Gwen Smith, 
			
			Leslie Townsend, and many, many more...The V-Day Los Angeles 
			event was held in Hollywood on Saturday evening, February 21, 2004 
			in the Silver Screen Theater at the beautiful 
			Pacific Design 
			Center.  A 
			special 
			keepsake publication for V-Day LA 2004 was produced as a 
			remembrance of this wonderful event, and a documentary of the event, 
			entitled "Beautiful 
			Daughters", can now be seen on 
			
			
			LOGOonline.. |  
     
	See also Calpernia's and 
	Andrea's new reality-TV show, premiering on LOGO in February 2008: 
	
	"Transamerican 
	Love Story" (more) 
	
	
	Logo Channel website: "Transamerican Love Story" (photos,
	
	videos) 
	  
 
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	Acknowledgements: 
- 
Lynn gives her special 
thanks to "David",
Carla Antonelli 
and 
Lorna Root for inspiring her to create these TS Successes pages. David is 
the author of the orignal "Gallery of Goddesses" website (now offline), which 
conveyed a wonderfully positive image of transgendered and transsexual women 
from all around the world. Lynn first learned about the stories of a number of 
the successful postop women listed here from David's site. That site has been 
down lately (and links to it from Lynn's site don't work right now). Hopefully 
David's site will be on-line again someday. Lynn then met
Carla Antonelli
  on-line and learned of her LGBT support activities and her
Spanish language support site 
featuring positive images of many trans women. Lynn was also very moved by 
Lorna Root's website "A Midsummer Night's Dream", which features the stories 
and photos of many trans women. A number of the entries here in the TS Successes 
pages are linked to stories posted in Lorna's wonderful website.
There are a number of other important websites that 
feature TG/TS women from all across the transgender community, and these too 
have been sources of ideas and inspiration for this page. Among these are Vicki 
Rene's "Prettiest of the Pretty", 
"Fiona's Fantasyland", 
Susana Marque's Directory, and 
URNotAlone.
 
We're also seeing development of new sites that 
compile TG/TS women's stories, with each site having its own special theme. For 
example, my friend
Karen Serenity's site includes newly 
compiled information about almost-forgotten trans pioneers, along with the 
stories of friends in her extensive network (Gallery 
1, 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8,
9,
10). Many 
of the larger transgender societies, such as the
Chicago Gender Society, have websites 
that list photos and sometimes bios of key members (who are often very 
approachable for help and mentoring).  Circles of trans women in various 
career fields are also now building sites where their stories can be shared for 
mutual support and benefit.  A good example of a career-field support-site 
is "T-Cops" (Transgendered 
community of police and sheriffs) .  It would be wonderful if more sites 
like T-Cops could be 
created for many other career fields and for affiliation-groups in many other 
countries too. That way many more success stories could be shared via all these 
sites and more widespread mentoring could be done by women who have completed 
their transitions. Our thanks and encouragement go out to everyone involved in 
building and maintaining these new sites.
 
Finally, we all owe a great debt to the many women 
who've volunteered to be listed here in these pages. We hope that all readers 
will treat them with the kindness, respect and honor they truly deserve. These 
women have earned their places in the world the hard way. Only by reading their 
stories can you begin to understand the trials, sacrifices and pain that most of 
them endured on the way to their successful new lives. Please join Lynn in 
thanking all these wonderful, courageous women for coming forward, telling their 
stories, and illuminating the pathways for others to follow. 
  
 
 
In Memoriam:
 

 Sofía 
Iglesias (Mexico)
1958 - 2004
 
In April of 2003, a wonderful woman named 
Sofia Iglesias volunteered to translate this "Successes page" into 
Spanish, and we became good friends over the following year. Sofia went on 
to translate even more pages into Spanish, doing this work to help young 
transitioners in Mexico and all across the Americas. As others saw the results 
of Sofia's work, volunteers began translating the pages into many other 
languages too - and the translation 
project rapidly escalated in scope and coverage.  And then suddenly and 
tragically Sofia died of a heart attack, in August 2004, at the early age of 46. 
We were heartbroken by this terrible news, and to this day we miss her very, 
very much. 
 
Sofía deeply touched many lives through her support work, and lives on in the 
memories of those whom she helped.  Then too, her spirit continues to touch 
many lives through the translations that she left behind and
the translation project she 
helped inspire - a project now making information about gender variance and 
transsexualism available to people all around the world.  Sofia was a 
beautiful spirit, and she gave much hope and inspiration to others while she was 
with us. To learn more about her story, 
please read the memorial to Sofia at this link.
 
 
These pages pass into history:
I 
began work on the 'successes pages' back in 2000, during a time when 
transitioned women were considered sexually-deviant mentally-ill people by the 
psychiatric and psychology communities. By compiling photos and stories of women 
who had gone on to lead successful and fulfilling lives after their transitions, 
the page openly debunked those so-called “scientific” views – while at the same 
time providing role models and hope for many people then in transition. 
By 
2005, the page had become so large that I could no longer keep up with necessary 
edits, much less add new entries, because by then thousands of transitioned 
women were becoming open about their pasts. The page has since been closed to 
entries, except on occasion when someone leaves the page to return to a more 
stealthy life. Thus the page should be seen as an historical artifact of 
trans-advocacy in a time now gone by. Even so, it still gets huge numbers of 
hits each year, and is an ongoing source of hope for many.
In 
follow-on work to these pages I began a new page in 2005 entitled
"Trans News 
Updates", to track and archive media imagery of transitioned women as years 
went by. One can follow the progress of the trans community since then by 
studying the shifts in topics, issues, terminology, and understanding revealed 
in those archives. Of special significance are our many
successes in exposing and refuting the hideously pathologizing teachings of the 
old-guard psychiatric and psychology establishment.
Meanwhile, we should all give thanks to the women who volunteered to be listed 
in this page, back in the days when such public exposure often brought down 
great wrath from hateful transphobic people. Fortunately, the worst of those 
days are past, and thousands upon thousands of gender transitioners can now be 
open and proud of their successful transitions. 
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	Reset on 5-19-01
 V-10-17-05 + 3-21-06 (SI)
 
	Update of 8-05-06 With 
	note of 2-05-11 
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	[back to Lynn's TG/TS/IS information webpage]
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	[Lynn's home page]
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Subject: Photos and links to the stories 
of many successful transsexual women from all around the world.
Keywords: 
transsexual, 
transsexualism, transsexuality, transgender, transgenderism, transexual, gender 
transition, photographs, stories, successes.